The Woman's Cycle
Premenstrual Syndrome PMS usually occurs 7 days before a woman’s menstrual cycle begins. Symptoms associated with PMS include mood swings, breast tenderness, food cravings, fatigue, irritability, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. PMS symptoms are usually a result of the fluctuating sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Both of these hormones can play an important role in relaxation and mood, so low levels could affect mental health. There are 4 menstrual cycle phases, and these important hormones fluctuate based on reproductive needs throughout the cycle.
What Does Progesterone Do
Progesterone is a female sex hormone that plays an important role in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. Progesterone fluctuates throughout a woman’s cycle and produces a relaxing effect that can help with mood disorders.
Low Progesterone Symptoms
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Anxiety, depression
- Mood swings
- Infertility
- Unhealthy looking skin
- Fatigue
- Cognitive issues
- Low libido
- Sugar cravings
What Does Estrogen Do
Estrogen is a female sex hormone that helps develop and maintain the reproductive system and female attributes. Men produce estrogen as well but at lower levels than women. Estrogen plays a big role in maintaining good health, so it’s important to keep this hormone in balance.
Low estrogen symptoms
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Depression, anxiety
- Low sex drive
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Breast tenderness
- Cognitive issues
- Sleep disturbances
Menstrual Cycle Phases
- Menstruation involves the shedding of the thickened lining of the uterus, and it usually lasts around 2 – 7 days.
- Follicular phase starts after the last day of menstruation and ends when ovulation begins. This phase involves the production of follicles that harbor immature eggs.
- Ovulation usually occurs mid-cycle. It involves rupturing of the follicles to release the eggs in order for sperm to fertilize it.
- Luteal phase usually begins after ovulation and ends on the first day of menstruation, unless fertilization occurs during this time. The ruptured follicles close up and form into corpus luteum, which continues to produce elevated levels of progesterone. If implantation doesn’t occur, then the corpus luteum dies off, which usually happens within 7 days of menstruation.
Fluctuating Hormones Within The Menstrual Cycle And Its Effect on Mental Health
- Week 1 – By day 1, estrogen is at its lowest. During these 7 days, estrogen levels will increase thereby boosting serotonin, providing enhanced mood, as well as physical and mental energy.
- Week 2 – Day 8 through ovulation. Estrogen continues to rise until ovulation occurs. Testosterone also begins to rise a few days before ovulation. This increase in estrogen keeps the mind sharp and clear.
- Week 3 – Occurs the day after ovulation begins. At this point, progesterone rises, while estrogen and testosterone fall. Serotonin levels fall with the decrease in estrogen; however, this can be offset by the rise in progesterone. Progesterone has a sedating effect that can assist with relaxation. As a result, some may experience anxiety and fluctuations in mood during ovulation. Within a few days of ovulation, estrogen and testosterone will begin to rise again. Therefore, if the drop in estrogen did increase your anxiety during ovulation, it should subside within a few days as it begins to increase again. *One more thing to note is that progesterone makes you more sensitive to drops in blood sugar. If you feel anxious during this time of your menstruation cycle, make sure to keep your blood sugar up. You can do this by eating a piece of fruit.
- Week 4 – During the 7 days prior to menstruation, estrogen and progesterone plummet which can contribute to an increase in PMS, anxiety, light depression, insomnia, and mood swings. Estrogen facilitates serotonin, while progesterone produces a sedative effect. As a result of this drop, you may experience PMS symptoms, such as anxiety, light depression, mood swings, insomnia, sleep disruptions, fatigue, overeating, and hot flashes.
To The Point - How To Manage PMS Symptoms
- Make sure you’re not iron deficient
- Eliminate Triggers like caffeine, alcohol, fried foods, nicotine and sugar
- Eat clean and health foods
- Exercise
- Get enough sunlight
- Consider taking PMS vitamins
- Consider taking a supplement that has calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and B6
- 5HTP can help increase serotonin levels that decrease during PMS
How to Manage PMS Symptoms
- Iron – Make sure you’re not iron deficient by checking your iron and ferritin levels. Make sure your doctor checks you for both iron and ferritin. Ferritin stores iron in your body and releases it as necessary. Low reserves can cause all kinds of issues. Normal ferritin levels in women should be between 18–160 ng/mL. Symptoms associated with low iron levels can consist of anxiety, PMS, poor circulation, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, sleep deprivation, and fatigue. Women are at most risk of an iron deficiency as a result of blood loss through menstruation, especially those with heavy periods and endometriosis.
- Eliminate Triggers – Cut down or eliminate caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and sugar. If you find it hard to cut down or eliminate these stimulants, then try your best to at least avoid them starting 7 days before your period. This will help keep your mental health in check while your hormones are all out of whack.
- Eat Clean and Healthy Food – Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, eggs, chicken, and fish.
- Exercise can boost serotonin and endorphins. Serotonin can help improve your mood, as well as sleep. Endorphins are a natural source of pain and stress relief. It works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain which blocks the perception of pain. Endorphins produce the same effect that morphine and codeine do, by alleviating pain and creating a euphoric feeling. Lower levels of endorphins could be associated with impaired mood, depression, anxiety, migraines and painful periods. Exercise can also help alleviate bloating and increase oxygen within the body. Low blood oxygen levels can contribute to mental health issues and cognitive impairment. Lack of oxygen to the pelvic area is what contributes to period cramps, so exercise and eliminating smoking or anything else that restricts oxygen can really help.
- Sunlight can boost vitamin D and serotonin levels, helping with mood and sleep cycles.
- PMS Vitamins – These vitamins can help alleviate symptoms associated with PMS and can be purchased online. I actually started taking Black Cohosh Root supplements to help with sleep disturbances and irritability related to PMS and I’ve noticed a big improvement. As with any other supplement, you should check to make sure your medication does not conflict with it. Black Cohosh can be harsh on your liver, so I would only suggest taking these around ovulation or during PMS.
- Supplements That Help With PMS – Consider taking a supplement that has calcium, vitamin D, magnesium and B6. Vitamin D helps regulate mood swings, bloating, and fatigue, in addition to promoting calcium absorption. Magnesium helps regulate serotonin, while vitamin B6 helps the body utilize it. You can get your levels checked by your doctor or you can purchase an at home test kit.
*Do not take 5HTP if you are currently taking any medication for depression or anxiety. Too much serotonin can cause serotonin syndrome which can be very dangerous. 5HTP also reduces the amount of dopamine in your body, so you may want to consider increasing your dopamine levels with l-tyrosine while on 5HTP. I do not recommend taking 5HTP on a regular basis. It should only be used as needed. If you find that your anxiety is worsening with 5HTP, then you may have too much serotonin in your body.
Monitor Your Menstrual Cycle Through a Period Tracking App
Understanding how hormones affect your body is key in being able to manage your mental health. Women who experience PMS should monitor their mental status throughout the menstrual cycle to determine whether low progesterone and serotonin could be the culprit. Suffering from fluctuating hormones doesn’t need to be inevitable and can be managed through diet, supplementing, and exercise.
To The Point - PMS: The Menstrual Cycle
- PMS symptoms are a result of the fluctuating sex hormones, progesterone and estrogen. Both can play an important role in relaxation and mood. There are 4 menstrual cycle phases, and these important hormones fluctuate throughout the cycle.
- Estrogen facilitates a healthy head space, while progesterone produces a relaxation affect.
- Week 1 begins with the lowest amount of estrogen, and it continues to rise up until ovulation. This is when women are most likely the strongest mentally. Then ovulation hits and estrogen plummets. This can cause PMS like symptoms. progesterone begins to rise, which may offset these symptoms. A few days into ovulation progesterone and estrogen continue to rise. Then around 7 days before your period, estrogen and progesterone plummet which causes PMS symptoms.
- PMS symptoms can be managed through diet, exercise, and supplements.
- Women who experience PMS should monitor their mental status throughout the menstrual cycle to determine whether low progesterone and serotonin could be the culprit.
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